Empty Bowls raises more than $20K

By: Beth Giuffre - Updated: 9 months ago

Posted May 16, 2018

Fundraiser for ECHO homeless shelter sells more than 500 tickets

ATASCADERO—The Empty Bowls 2018 fundraiser was a tremendous success, according to ECHO Executive Director Wendy Lewis, who said that the El Camino Homeless Organization sold more than 500 tickets and raised more than $20,000 for its homeless shelter in Atascadero.

“ECHO would like to thank everyone who helped make Empty Bowls 2018 a huge success!” Lewis said. “It was amazing to see the outpouring of community support for ECHO and the 50 men, women and children we provide a home to each night. The day would not have been possible without our planning committee, volunteers, celebrity servers, artists, local restaurants and the generosity of Atascadero Bible Church, who donated the venue.”

Lewis said the highlight of the fundraiser was when 20 people who bought tickets and couldn’t attend donated the tickets back to ECHO so that some shelter residents could attend the event.

“At our resident meeting last night, many of them mentioned how good it made them feel to see how much the community cared for them and our cause,” Lewis said.